Family, Christmas, and Talks of Marriage
by sitarra
Summary: All notes same as previous story, A Normal Christmas Eve. I suppose it’s somewhat necessary to read that one first.
1. Chapter 1

**Family, Christmas, and Talks of Marriage**

**All notes same as previous story****, A Normal Christmas Eve. I suppose it's somewhat necessary to read that one first. **

**Chapter 1**

**One Year Later**

**Christmas Eve Morning**

Catherine Willow walked into the break room, happy to see it was empty for once. She had come in an hour to look up phone records to her current case. That was her alibi. Gil came in to work an hour early every day, most days for obvious reasons. But for the majority of the past year, no one really knew anymore. But today was different. Today they were both leaving early.

Unbeknownst to the people of the lab, the two most gossiped about people had been coming to work early to have much needed time together. They had been keeping their relationship a secret for the past year to avoid work issues, which they knew would be caused. So far the relationship hadn't affected their work but Catherine just knew that one day it would somehow.

Just as she flopped down on a chair for a moment break, half the team entered the break room.

"Hey Cath, how are you?" Nick asked her in his charming Texan accent.

"I'm doing good, Nicky. Just a little tired today."

"Boyfriend keeping you up late at night?" Greg teased, making sure he sat far away from her in case she took that the wrong way.

"_I_ keep _him_ up," she corrected." And it was a late evening but that's not why I'm tired for once."

"I bet he is," Greg muttered, making his Blue Hawaiian coffee.

"I'm tired because I came to work early to get some work done," Catherine continued, pretending not to hear Greg. "Big day today?" Greg asked. It was Christmas Eve.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. I still have things to wrap and I'd like to get some sleep before we leave."

"Where are you going this year?" Nick wondered.

"Going to spend time with the boyfriend?" Greg asked. "You know, you've been seeing this guy for quite a while. I think it's time we met him to give him our approval."

"Yeah, like that's ever going to happen," Catherine scoffed. "Actually I'm going with Grissom again to visit his family. They're very pleasant people."

"Are they anything like him?" Greg wondered.

"Not at all. Only way you can tell they're related is by looks."

"Hey, doesn't your boyfriend care that you're going with Grissom?" Sara piped up from her seat by the door.

"No, he's actually glad I'm going." She had a smug smile on her face. The crew obviously hadn't figured out yet who she was involved with. Sara and she had almost gotten rid of all animosities but Catherine still enjoyed breaking the girl over the one thing she wanted but couldn't have. He was all Catherine's now.

Nick's eyes caught sight of something when Catherine turned her head.

"You have a lot of late evenings with your boyfriend?" he asked cautiously. She just looked at him in confusion. He pointed to her neck for a brief second before she caught on.

"Oh, I forgot all about that. Thank you, Nicky." She stood from her chair, her hand going to her neck in fondness of the previous night. "If I don't see you guys later today, have a wonderful Christmas."

She tried to leave but Sara's voice stopped her.

"So your boyfriend's happy you're going to Grissom's?" she wondered, not understanding how things in Catherine's world worked.

The older woman turned to face the room. "Uh-huh. In fact, he's the one that suggested it."

She gave no one a chance to answer. She turned on her heel and left the room. She didn't even see Greg putting the information together in his head. But his exclamation sure followed her to the locker room.

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"Same people?"

"You bet."

"Is it supposed to snow?"

"Eighty percent chance."

"Am I gonna get to hear funny stories again?"

"You can count on it."

Gil kept Lindsey entertained while she was packing a bag for the car. Catherine was still in the shower, leaving him to keep the miniature version of her occupied.

"Jennifer gonna be there? And what about Princess?"

"Princess belongs to Jennifer so you can count on it. Did the two of you bond last year and I never heard about it?"

"Of course we bonded. We even talk on the phone."

"Well, that's good. She's a good influence for you." He handed her the CD she was looking for. "Do you get along with Kierra?"

"Yeah, it's not hard to get along with her. But did you know that she was never allowed to believe in Santa Claus?" Lindsey asked, incredulous.

Gil nodded. "Yes, and I think it's wrong but everyone raises their children different."

She sat next to him on her bed, shoes in one hand. "Uncle Gil, since you've pretty much been living here this past year, are you officially going to move in?" she wondered.

"Your mom and I have been meaning to talk to you about that. How would you feel about it?"

"I'd love it!" she exclaimed with no hesitation. "Then you'd be here all the time."

Gil laughed at her enthusiasm. For the longest time, Catherine had been meaning to talk to Lindsey about a lot of subjects. One down, many to go.

"Then I will definitely relay the message to your mother."

"Are you guys gonna get married?" she wondered with an inquisitive nature only a teenager had.

Gil was at a loss for words. That's one of the subjects Catherine and he had avoided for some reason.

"Maybe one day. Would you be okay with that if it did happen?"

"Duh! It's always better when you're around. Mom smiles a lot now, so do you." She appeared so much wiser than her age at times.

"I'll agree with you there."

"Hey, when you guys get married, are you gonna have children or plan on it?"

"Lindsey!"

"Sorry, sorry, but you need to talk to mom about it soon," she concluded, tying one of her shoes.

"Talk to mom about what?" Catherine joined in. she had come in only on the last sentence.

"Nothing," the two were quick to say.

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Catherine watched as tree after snow covered tree passed by her, stone mixing in with it. She was happy to be seeing the familiar scenery again. She smiled when she saw that same ice covered river, some children playing on it close to the banks.

"What are you thinking about?" Gil's voice interrupted her observations. She turned her head away from the car window, setting her eyes on the man next to her.

"You and Lindsey and the family," she admitted, "and how happy I am to be going back."

"I'm glad you're coming with me. The family loves you."

It was true, they did. Over the course of the last year, she and Lindsey had come to all the major family holidays with him and she could spend hours on end talking or listening to the women in the family. She was rapidly becoming one of them.

"They're great people; very entertaining." She reached over and took his hand. She held it tightly with hers, needing to feel him. There wasn't a day that went by that they didn't touch in some way for any amount of time. They were always holding hands; they always managed a kiss in uncongenial times. As Lindsey said to them, they were connected at the hip.

"Tell me a secret, Gil," she asked of him a while alter. He immediately smiled, recognizing her words.

"I love you," he shared.

"That's not a secret," she complained but her body still shivered at his words.

"I know but it doesn't make it any less true."

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Lindsey watched the two adults in the front seat. She tried not to let the smile slip onto her face but she couldn't help it. They were just too picturesque at time. Other times she was just disgusted at all the kissing they did. Handholding she could handle; anything else she didn't want to know about, not between the man she secretly called dad and her mom.

Her mom's laughter barely penetrated her music. She used to go months not hearing that sound and even if she did it wasn't always sincere or full hearted then. Now there wasn't a day that passed that she didn't hear that laughter or see her smile.

She wouldn't admit to it to her mom but she hated it when her mom was on Swing shift. It was horrible hours and she never saw her mother. At least with Grave shift she knew she'd get to see her mother at some point of the day, even if only for a short time.

Ever since her Uncle Gil had entered their lives on a different level than before, things had become happier around the house. They all watched movies on nights off, he helped her with homework. She didn't have complaints being seen with them in public. She loved seeing them together and she gladly respected their wishes to not tell their coworkers about their relationship whenever she was at the lab. She knew they were all dying to know who her mother's newest boyfriend was, though. They asked every time.

She smiled when she saw her uncle kiss her mother's hand. She knew how much they were in love, even if she was only fourteen. She'd never seen two people look so comfortable with each other before. She just knew the relationship was going to last forever.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: One scene is taken from Monster-in-Law, which I don't own. I just couldn't pass it up.**

**Chapter 2**

**Linda's House**

"Catherine, always good to see you!" Noreen greeted the woman as soon as she walked in the door.

"And it's always good to see you," she shared, hugging the woman she considered a second mother. "And look who I brought."

Noreen looked behind Catherine to see Lindsey and Gil softly talking outside, presumably about the landscape they were looking at.

"Lindsey."

The girl turned around, a smile sliding on her face. She ran into the woman's open arms, happy to see her, even though it had only been a month.

"Grandma!" Noreen hugged her tight, always happy to hear that term of endearment.

"And again you hug me last," Gil complained to his mother from behind them in a teasing tone. "I'm starting to think you like them more."

"I'll hug you first," his Aunt Carol said, entering the house.

"Thank you; at least someone cares." Catherine loved this side of him, this completely carefree and relaxed side. It was wonderful to see.

She helped Noreen and Linda put the gifts she and Gil had brought around the tree. They made small talk while Linda took Catherine and Lindsey's coats to put them in the hall closet.

She looked around the house, happy to see nothing had changed. The furniture was still in the same place as was the tree. The stockings were hung above the fire on the mantel. The TV music channel was still playing Christmas music. The tables were set; the aroma of food filled the house. Lights spelling MERRY CHRISTMAS were hanging from the upstairs banister. People smiling were already in the house, people were walking in the house with smiles on their faces. It wasn't often she was around a cheery atmosphere, unless you counted her home life.

"Can you believe it's already Christmas?" Linda asked her, looking around to make sure everything was where it should have been.

"Not at all. Seems like just yesterday we were celebrating Thanksgiving."

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"So how are things with the two of you, Catherine?" Peggy asked, carving the ham with a knife instead of the electrical knife she was used to.

"I think they can only be great judging from what I saw last year and Thanksgiving," Linda muttered to the two so Noreen didn't hear.

"It is great," she confirmed. "We're very much in love and I've never seen Lindsey so happy. He's great with her."

"Well, that's good," Carol voiced. "Heading down the track of marriage soon?"

Catherine smirked but she tried to hide it. "I have no idea. I'm fine not being married. I mean, it's like we're married now. It's just not recognized by the state. As long as we're together, married or not, I'll be happy."

All the women in the room sighed dreamily at the sound of that. Jim came in the room before anyone could say or do anything more.

"Okay, I finally got it fixed," he told Peggy, handing her the electric knife. "The blade was jammed because of one of the controls."

"Thank you so much." She quickly got rid of the knife she was using. "I was about to lose my mind. I'm lost without this."

The two oldest teenage girls came up to Linda at the counter.

"We're here to work," Jennifer announced for them.

"Well, it's about time," said Linda. "You guys can do silverware and fill the glasses."

"Sounds good," Jennifer agreed. She turned to Lindsey. "You do water, I do ice?"

"Good, I hate doing ice but they always make me," Lindsey told her, gathering forks and half the spoons.

"Join the club," Jennifer told her, taking the knives and the rest of the spoons. "And trust me, no matter how much you complain, they still make you do it, year after year."

Their conversation continued as they left the kitchen. Once they were out of earshot, laughter could be heard throughout the house.

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Laughter seemed to be infectious in the Jensen household after yet another story from the past. Dinner had been finished, places had been cleaned, the boys were in the basement and the girls were upstairs. Makayla was playing with Princess in the living room and Sarah was smiling at the sight from her mother's arms.

Catherine leaned over to whisper something in Gil's ear, the action not lost on the family.

"Hey, when are you two getting married already?" one of them asked.

Gil looked over to Catherine, noticing a similar smile to the one he knew he had.

"People must really want us to get married," Gil muttered to Catherine.

She nodded. "I guess."

Turning back to his family, he smiled deviously at them. "We'll get back to you on that," he answered, standing from the table with Catherine's hand in his. "But now, I'm pretty sure you all have things to do. We'll leave you now so you can work."

Catherine just shrugged her shoulders to the groups as she allowed him to pull her away. Laughter followed them before she heard the sound of chairs moving on carpet. The boys were called from the dart game to take some chairs to the basement.

Catherine settled on the blue couch, the same place as the year before. She smiled as she watched a curly haired Makayla follow Princess to the dining room. On the way, though she stopped at Gil. He dropped the blanket on the couch he held to pick her up.

"What are you doing, munchkin?" he asked her.

"Nofing. I follow puppy," she answered as best a three year old could.

"Following the puppy? Well, you better go catch up." He set her down after giving her a kiss on her chubby cheeks. He watched her run into the room, yelling 'puppy' the whole way there.

"Isn't she a sweetheart?" he asked Catherine rhetorically. He picked up the forgotten blanket and draped it over her legs. He settled on her right, making sure he was close to her. She offered him some of the blanket which he gladly took.

"You're good with kids," she muttered to him, a shine in her eyes.

He turned his head to look at her, his heart actually skipping a beat at the small smirk on her face.

"Would I be good with our kids?" he asked slowly.

An eyebrow rose. "We have kids?"

"Earlier, Lindsey asked me that when we get married, are we planning on having kids," he explained. "I've been thinking about it since."

"Marriage or children?"

"Right now children."

She brushed her hand through his hair, smoothing it back. "You'd be great with our kids. I bet we'd have beautiful children."

"Gorgeous, like their mother," he corrected, his hand finding hers.

"Or incredibly handsome like their father," she added. He smiled brightly at her, pulling her closer. Their lips met in a chaste kiss, cut short by multiple voices saying or yelling something different.

"It's embarrassing, isn't it?" Lindsey asked Jennifer quietly from the upstairs balcony.

"I think it's sweet. Besides, without her dragging him to come, I doubt he would have come. I always enjoy it when he comes to the holidays," Jennifer said, her eyes scanning the downstairs. When she saw them all come out from the dining room, she muttered a finally under her breath. "Let's go downstairs."

"It's time!" Peggy yelled to the house.

"I think we should sneak away again later," Catherine muttered against Gil's lips.

"I think we should, too."

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Catherine ran a hand through her daughter's long hair, happy she had let it grow out. This was probably the only public contact she knew her daughter didn't mind. She's always loved having her hair stroked, even as a baby.

She could hardly believe her daughter was already fourteen. Seemed like just yesterday they were coming home from the hospital. Trying to fight the tears in her eyes, she leaned over and placed a kiss on Lindsey's forehead.

She had taken the spot of Gil, who now sat at her feet, and Noreen now sat beside Lindsey. He listened to his mother and girlfriend converse amicably back and forth, never once slowing down. He looked to his right when he felt a hand on his shoulder, Lindsey moving off the couch and away from the conversation. He smiled, knowing what it was like to be caught between a conversation.

He moved to get up, getting immediate protest from the woman behind him.

"I was comfortable," she complained.

"You've been so quiet, Gil, even during gifts," Noreen mused, eyeing her son suspiciously.

"Who can get a word in edgewise between you two?" he laughed. He sat in front of them on a wooden coffee table. "You know, when you two first met, I was incredibly nervous."

Why?" Catherine wondered.

"Well, mom, you're the most amazing woman I've ever know. Cath, I've never known anyone like you. Somehow, I feel like I've known you forever. I guess what I'm trying to say here…"

"What?" Catherine asked suspiciously.

Catherine's interested stare looked back at him as well as his mother's confused look.

"What are you doing for the rest of you life?"

He heard two gasps when he reached in his pocket.

"Oh, my god," both women said when he pulled out a red leather box.

He took Catherine's left hand in his, holding open the box to reveal a diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?"

A silence went around the whole room but it wasn't noticeable to the couple. They saw only each other. He could see the answer in her eyes; now he just had to wait for her to say it.

"Yes!" she finally managed, tears stinging her eyes. "Of course yes!"

They didn't even register the applause or cheers of his, now her family. As soon as he slipped on the ring, they were too long gone. He didn't care his entire family was watching; he kissed her as passionately as he could, while still being mindful of the young ones in the room.

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She couldn't stop kissing him. She didn't want to. He tasted and felt too good to let go.

Her arms wrapped themselves tighter around his neck, staying warm and wanting to feel more of him. His hand made their way under her coat and grazed her hips. She pulled away faster than he could act.

"Your hands are cold," she explained at his questioning look.

A mischievous smile grew on his face. "Then perhaps I'd better warm them up."

"What are you… Gil!" She tried to jump away but he held his cold hands on her lower back, keeping her pressed firmly to him. "That's mean, Gil. Your hands are freezing."

"How about I warm them up on you later?" Will you forgive me then?"

She smiled. "Definitely."

"You know, I have Lindsey's permission to move in now," he told her.

"Good because after this, I am definitely never letting you go home again. Unless I'm with you of course."

"I practically live with you now anyway, as Lindsey pointed out."

"I know and you would officially have lived there long before that but I had to be sure this was actually going somewhere," she explained, a sad expression on her face.

"I know, I understand," he expressed.

"I knew from the first day though," she was quick to say. "I knew, or rather hoped, it would lead down this track."

"The first day all those years ago or the first day last year?" he teased her. Her pointed look changed his mind. He kissed her on the top of her nose. "I knew it, too."

She felt relived when he said that, she always had those feelings but she was never sure if he felt the same way. He used to be married to his job, used to spend all his time working, and while she may have changed him, his job still meant everything to him. At least she thought it did.

If she would have thought about it more, she would have realized that he had actually spent less time at work than ever before. He tried not to work every weekend. He actually stayed home on his days off. She knew he had changed. She just hadn't realized how much yet.

"I'll never understand why you do that," she said to him of the kiss he had just placed on her nose. "Give me a real kiss."

"That is a real kiss," he chuckled. "Just because a kiss isn't placed on the lips doesn't mean it's not real."

"I know, believe me. But right now, I want a kiss on my lips." She pulled him to her by the lapels of his coat. She was happy to feel his hands had warmed up when she felt them move higher as his lips touched hers.

He nipped at her lower lips, an action by him she loved. She moaned deeply when he gently but down on her kips. She gladly returned the fervor of his kiss, her hands holding his head stationary.

"See, now that's a real kiss," she hoarsely said after they pulled apart.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Catherine moaned gently at the feel of a hand running slowly up and down her back.

'If only my shirt wasn't on. Then I could feel it even more,' she thought disappointedly.

She cuddled up next to the warm body next to her, burying her face in his neck. She sighed when she felt warm lips on her forehead.

"Don't you ever sleep in?" she asked him. Her arm moved up and down when he chuckled softly.

"Not when I'm waking up next to you, which is ever day," Gil answered.

"Not even on our nights off?"

"Sometimes but not always. Plus, there's Lindsey and she always ends up waking us."

"Why do you get up so early?" she asked, turning her head lazily to look at his face.

"Because sometimes, I still can't believe that you're lying next to me. I have to check every one in a while to make sure it's not a dream," he explained. He brushed away the stray strands of hair from her face, her beautiful blue eyes shining through.

"I like waking up next to you. I like waking up in your arms."

Gil pulled her on top of his, glad to see the smile on her face. He kissed her softly. "You know, it's not often we just sleep. I like it but…"

"Don't get used to it," she warned. "It won't happen often, but we were tired. We did stay at my sister's until midnight after all."

"Then we shouldn't have to go to work."

"I would love to just lay here in your arms all night but don't you think it would look just a little suspicious if we both stayed home? They're starting to suspect something. I think Greg figured it out the other night."

He looked confused. "How?" he wondered, starting to get up.

She pushed him back down forcefully. "Don't worry about it. But I think we shouldn't bother to hide anymore. Let them figure it out in their own good time," she expressed.

He seemed to think it over. He had to admit, he did like keeping their relationship a secret. There was more mystery and excitement that way. He liked knowing he had this side to him no one knew. Sure a lot of sides of him were like that but this was different. This was his relationship side. His relationship with Catherine.

He loved the rush of pride he felt when men turned their attention to her whenever they went out to dinner. He loved the looks of disappointment that came over their faces when they realized she was utterly happy and quite spoken for. He wasn't so sure he wanted to give all that up.

"But I like knowing you're mine," he complained, pulling her body down close to his. She smiled at the feel of their chests pressed together.

"I will be yours. I am yours and you're mine," she told him, kissing him to prove her point. "But now people will know I'm yours."

"I know," he whined, "but I like them not knowing. I like the secrecy."

"So do I." She kissed him again, knowing she was persuading him. "But I'm not saying we have to outright tell them. We just don't hide it anymore."

He sighed deeply, not as persuaded as she thought.

"Gil…" she said, dragging his name out. He didn't look threatened. She held up her left hand for him to see.

"You see this ring?" She waited until he nodded. "They're going to notice it sooner or later because I'm not hiding it and I'm not denying anything. It signifies the beginning of a commitment, in our case a long commitment. I don't want to hide the best thing that ever happened to me."

She was getting angry now and as much as he loved to see her angry, he hated that he was the cause of it.

"You won't have to. I'm sorry, we can go ahead and let them find out," he assured her, grabbing her hand to calm her. "You don't have to be upset."

"Really? I have no reason to be upset? You're acting like you don't even want this relationship to be acknowledged by more than the three of us," she said, starting to move off him.

He stopped her before she could. "That's not true. My family knows," he pathetically argued. "But that's not true. I want everyone to know I'm with you, to know that I love you. You took it the wrong way."

"There's more than one way to take that?"

"Yes! I didn't mean that I don't want anyone else to know. I meant that I like knowing we've had this secret for a year. I like knowing that I have you all to myself. You know there's going to be a load of questions from everyone. Honestly, I wasn't ready to answer those questions but now I know I'm ready. I love you, Catherine, and I want everyone to know it."

"Really?" she pouted.

He kissed her to sway her. "Really."

She looked for any sign that he might be lying but she found none.

"I'm sorry I overreacted. I guess I…"

"Hey, no need to apologize. Right now, I just want to kiss you."

She offered no protest as he rolled them over so he was atop of her. She just smiled at him before he took ahold of her lips. She kissed him deeply, still trying to gain his forgiveness.

"How about we get in a little activity before we go to work?" she suggested when his lips began to trail. She received no verbal response but she more than definitely received a physical one.

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'What is up with them?'

'You'd think they were a couple the way they're acting right now.'

'I thought I was over him. Why aren't I over him? Why, I have a feeling, does she get to be under him?'

'I wonder if I should spike my hair again.'

"Why do you think they're all being so quiet?"

"Probably trying to figure out what's with us," Catheirne answered in a whisper close to him. "Or they're each thinking about a case, the latest person in their lives, or themselves."

They both looked at each other, the same thing running through their minds.

"The first one," they said together.

Five minutes later, the team couldn't handle it anymore. When Catheirne placed her hand on their boss's thigh during their conversation, her engagement ring flashed them. If that wasn't enough to grab their attention, their physical contact was.

"So Cath, how was your Christmas? Anything special happen?" Greg asked, setting down a case file. Everyone else followed his example.

"Yeah, like the deal with that ring on your finger?" Warrick added.

"I suppose you all want me to explain this," Catherine said, holding the hand that had been on Gil's thigh. All of them nodded.

"Well, my boyfriend asked me to marry him on Christmas Eve. Obviously I said yes. Nothing else to explain really."

"Yeah, there is. You've been goin' out with this guy for how long now?" Nick wondered.

"Just over a year."

"And yet, we know nothing about him. What's he like? Is he a good guy? Lindsey get along with him?"

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Catherine suggested, setting them up.

Wait a minute," Greg interrupted, not hearing any of the conversation, "he proposed on Christmas Eve?"

"I thought you were with Grissom all day Christmas Eve," Sara pointed out, her worst fears almost becoming true.

"Oh, my god, you two go out!" Greg suddenly exclaimed. "I knew it! And you all thought I was lying."

Catherine and Gil both smiled, knowing they'd been busted.

"You caught us," Gils aid.

"We've been going out this long and none of you noticed? What kind of CSIs are you?" Catherine joked.

Catherine stood, the paperwork she held falling to her side. Gil stood with her after putting his paperwork in his briefcase. He took her hand, lacing their fingers together.

"You can all ponder on that but if you'll excuse us, we have things we need to do," Gil told them.

"Please keep your bedroom activities to yourselves," Greg said, putting his hands over his ears.

Catherine chuckled. "That's actually not what he was talking about but who knows? Maybe we'll come back tomorrow and tell you all about bedroom activities, Greg. Just to bother you."

"You know I think I'm better off not knowing. But you guys better name your first child after me."

Gil pulled Catherine out of the room before she could protest. He would have done the same thing had he not chosen to be the rational mind.

Greg turned his attention to his coworkers, noticing all of them were still trying to digest the new information.

"So, who won the bet?"

THE END

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!


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